PROXY SERVERS TO THE RESCUE 

Your mind functions similar to a computer. What you put in is what you get out. Once you see something or learn something it’s very difficult to un-learn it. It's hard to control what your mind is exposed to on the internet. Even the most vigilant internet user will occasionally see things they didn’t intend to view. Maybe it’s an accidental click on a tricky link, or maybe an add that pops up during a video. Whatever the cause is, there's a simple solution that can stop it from happening again.

It is very difficult to control what a family unit has access to on the internet. There are free and paid services that exist but usually aren’t granular enough or are too expensive for most people. Depending on another persons idea of what is acceptable for your family to view is asinine, which leaves out DNS services. DNS services are easy to get around by just using another DNS provider. Most families can’t afford expensive firewall options that allow granular control of packets and most SOHO routers can’t effectively block HTTPS websites with any kind of accuracy.

A true and tried way of filtering HTTP/HTTPS data has been around for a long time. Many internet providers around the world use it without most people knowing it’s implemented. The solution I’m speaking of is the proxy server. A proxy server is positioned in between your computers and your router. Depending on how much security is required determines how the proxy is provisioned. You can force all traffic through it utilizing it as a gateway or you can use it as a port listener which only filters HTTP/HTTPS and does not mess with other protocols.

If you are computer inclined and know a little Linux you can accomplish this easily and be able to control all of the URLs your family accesses. If you don’t like the ads that pop up on your screen, just block that domain or IP address on the proxy server and the ad doesn’t stand a chance. This is a great tool for any family or institution that wants to protect those who rely on their internet access such as churches or other organizations. Don’t be a victim of the internet, take control.


 

 

Keep your data on premises

Convenience at the expense of security?  Who has your data?  Where is it physically?  Who has access to it and how do you know it is secure from prying eyes?  Does data you store with companies get sold or traded without your permission?  Are you sure information will not be gleaned from your online backups?  Remember this everytime you drop something into dropbox, or backup something online.  These are issues that businesses should consider before using these convienent, but insecure services instead of more traditional on-site solutions.  Cloud computing is only as safe as the company providing it.

Business Servers

Server Maintenance and Roles  
True Computing installs, configures and maintains server roles including but not limited to AD DS, DNS, DHCP, IIS, FTP, Apache, DFS, Network Policy and Access Services (RAS and VPN), terminal services, file services, and Hyper-V.  We can update, patch, and monitor server operating systems to ensure best system performance and health.

Storage  
Need more space?  We can provide storage solutions to meet your needs.  We support the implementation of storage including racked storage, tape drive storage, network attached storage, and RAID in respect to performance and redundancy.

Backups  
True Computing can setup and configure backups to meet your needs.  We will utilize industry standard software such as Veritas Backup Exec to give you a turn key backup solution.  Do not wait until you lose data to be prepared.

We are Linux friendly

Microsoft has decided to gamble with your time, money and frustration in efforts to increase the value of their operating system.  Windows 11 continues to have frequently forced major updates that leave customers out of operation. 

As Windows 11 phases out Windows 10, users are finding themselves forced into Microsoft accounts upon setting up their computer.  Forced security risks that Window’s dubs as “features” seem to be the new normal.  Whether it’s storing your data on their computers (aka the cloud), collecting your telemetry (computer usage info), forcing changes to their operating system (it’s theirs and you likely use it as a free service) without your permission, running advertisements on your screen as you log in or encouraging which news services you and your children are exposed to. These, and many more reasons might make you consider using a less invasive operating system.  

There are many operating systems that support your computer.   While Windows 11 is one of the most presumptuous operating systems, other options do exist.  Give us a call for any Linux or Mac OS X questions or concerns.

So what should you choose? Read more...